A divorce can come with lots of worries, not the least of which is breaking the news to your loved ones. After all, a divorce affects not only you and your former partner but also your friends and family. But, telling your loved ones that you are getting a divorce does not necessarily mean it has to be bad news. Here are some tips on how to tell your loved ones that you are getting a divorce.
Plan ahead
Planning ahead is a surefire way of taking the fear out of your divorce and everything it entails, including breaking the news to your loved ones. Worrying about how to tell your friends and family that you are getting a divorce is completely normal and expected. The uncertainty of how your loved ones will react can make the task seem daunting. Breaking the news, however, does not have to be a traumatic experience for anyone involved, especially not if you have a plan going in.
Formulating your plan ahead of time can make the divorce process go a lot more smoothly, and ease your mind about informing your loved ones that your marriage has ended. A well-defined plan constructed between you and your attorney can take much of the guesswork and uncertainty out of the divorce, giving you peace of mind throughout the process.
Get divorce advice from a skilled attorney who understands what you are going through, and who can help you make the best decisions on how to move forward. Your attorney is there to help you come up with a plan that will protect you and your interests, both financial and personal. Once you and your attorney have a plan of action, you can approach your divorce with confidence and reassurance.
Be clear with your loved ones about the divorce and your plans
For your friends and family, the main concern in a divorce should be your well-being. They might be wondering how you are doing emotionally, psychologically, physically, and financially. If you have children, your loved ones would likely be concerned with their well-being, too.
Your friends and family may worry not only for your sake, but also about how the split will affect them. They might be concerned about having to take care of you or your children, and whether they could afford to do so. They also might worry about having to take sides in the divorce, and how that will affect their relationship with you and your ex-spouse.
If your friends and family are left to wonder about the divorce, then your loved ones might worry needlessly about the divorce and what it means for the future.
Instead, be open and honest about your intentions. Let your loved ones know why you have decided to get divorced. Inform them about your plan, including moving, hiring a divorce lawyer , and when and how you are going to file for divorce. Simply keeping your loved ones in the loop about what is going to happen will ease their minds immensely.
Let your loved ones know their role in the divorce
Your friends and family might be concerned about what their role is in your divorce.
Will they have to choose sides?
Will you look to them for divorce advice?
Will you need them for emotional or financial support?
These are all important questions that your loved ones might need to know when you tell them that you are getting a divorce.
Answering those questions for your friends and family will relieve both their stress and yours. Let them know whether you need their support, and in what way. Explain to them how they will be affected, or whether they will be affected at all. If your loved ones know what you expect from them going in, they will have a clear idea on how they can help you during the divorce process.
Keep everyone updated
Deciding you want a divorce and hiring a lawyer is just the beginning of the divorce process. There may be court appearances, discovery requests, and mediation sessions, all which take time to schedule, plan, and carry out. Your attorney will keep you informed about where you are in the divorce process. Your family and friends, however, are not privy to communications between you and your attorney and are therefore left to wonder about the divorce’s progress. Your loved ones will be relying on you to keep them updated on how you are faring during the proceedings.
As your divorce moves forward, let your loved ones know what is going on, how you are doing, and how they can best support you during your divorce.
For more information
After telling your family the news of your divorce, you will likely want to move forward with divorce proceedings. Finding the right divorce lawyer can help make the process go more smoothly and seem less daunting. Mann & Kemp is your law firm for divorce cases in central Arkansas . We are here to help put your mind at ease throughout the divorce process, and will work hard to get the outcome you want. To get a free consultation and learn more about us, get in touch and schedule an appointment with a member of our team. Call us today at 501-222-4730.